


In your footsteps

by AkkiTheWolf



Series: Star-drops [3]
Category: Death Stranding (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fragile being Fragile, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Phobias, Spoilers, Sweet Sam, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21549571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkkiTheWolf/pseuds/AkkiTheWolf
Summary: Sam wasn´t able to chase her off. Like a stray dog, she kept coming back, trailing after him, somehow keeping with his ridiculous pace. He didn´t know what to do.
Relationships: Sam Porter Bridges/original female character
Series: Star-drops [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1514813
Comments: 10
Kudos: 52





	In your footsteps

**Author's Note:**

> This is entirely self-indulgent. I just love the game and I needed this. If any of you like it, that´s just a bonus.
> 
> Basically me expanding on a plot bunny that kept hoping around my mind.
> 
> Enjoy folks, Akki out.

Sam wasn´t able to chase her off. Like a stray dog, she kept coming back, trailing after him, somehow keeping with his ridiculous pace. He didn´t know what to do. He tried reasoning with her. Yelling at her. He chose the most harrowing paths he could. Yet, she always appeared in his line of sight when he turned to glance back. Not even throwing a rock that one time helped. He felt guilty afterwards and mumbled curses at himself under his breath. She wasn´t a dog, she was a person. Young woman, clad in greens and browns to better melt into the environment, with clear eyes and a handprint peeking out of her hair. Reaching across her cheekbone and curling around her jaw. There was that spark in her that told him she will keep going until she can´t. She will keep fighting. Sam saw that spark in others, before. Now, not so much.

So, he let her trail after him. He let her sit by the fire he made in the night. Sometimes he talked to BB and she would have this gentle smile and longing written into her face. One of the nights, after they somehow made it out of Timefall and BT territory alive, she started singing. Softly, humming at first, not too loud, words that were foreign and yet not. And he realized, she was singing a wake song. For the dead that could not rest. That´s how she made it this far for this long. That´s how she was able to keep up with Sam. She had DOOMS. She could see them and mourn them.

Sam sat, enchanted. BB gently lolling its head to the melody. When the song ended, he spoke quietly:

“More.” She moved her gaze to him, eyes turned molten in the glow from the fire. She smiled and started another song.

…

That was the first time he heard her speak. Wasn´t much of a talker, he guessed or it depended who she was talking to.

He woke up, snapping into consciousness like releasing a spring. Dawn was just breaking. Pinks and oranges watering down the midnight blue of the night. Sam stretched and realized he didn´t have his BB. That´s when sounds started registering for him. A soft tinkling giggle and a mellow voice, pouring strings of nonsensical words. Sam whirled, looking behind him. She was cradling the pod in the crook of her arm. Free hand poised above it, wriggling fingers, mouth stretched into wide toothy grin, babble coming out of it. Or he supposed it was babble, didn´t sound like English. He guessed BB liked it, given how enthusiastically it was tapping its tiny hands against the glass of the pod.

“You stealin´ kids now?” He rumbled, voice gravely after sleep, made it sound angrier than he meant. She snapped out of her little bubble, glancing at him warily. She cradled the pod closer, heaved a sigh, then stood up to take four steps and hesitantly hand over the precious pod.

“Wouldn´t steal BB. Wouldn´t hurt them either. Neither of you.” She mumbled, looking sheepish. And Sam suddenly felt bad for insinuating such a thing, even in a jest.

“I know.” He added, strapping BB to his front.

“Let´s go.” Somehow those two words made her light up like a sun. Bright and happy. Sam felt an answering smile tug at the corners of his lips.

…

He knew most people with DOOMS had phobias, he just figured she was one of the luckier ones. She didn´t flinch when Deadman or Fragile touched her. And really, he should have known it was inevitable they would find out about his stray. The cufflinks for one and he didn´t have the heart to leave her outside alone when he went to the Distro centres. Getting her past scans was a different problem. She didn´t have an ID. A true stray. Deadman was kind enough to provide one for her, even though she refused the cufflinks. She wasn´t comfortable being asked questions, tensing and squirming. Sam felt for her. Questions lead to bad things. He guessed she would open up, when she was ready.

So, no flinching. No fear of closed spaces, or open spaces for that matter. No fear of dark, nor heights. He may have just presumed right.

But then he didn’t.

“A snack?” In her typical way Fragile pulled a cryptobiote from somewhere. Thrusting it under Stray´s nose. It happened so fast the only thing Sam registered was the crashing and clanging of things from the table hitting ground. When he looked around what happened he noticed Stray on the opposite side of his private room. Glued to the wall, palms flat against it, eyes wide and wild with fear.

“I-I…. I can´t! I can´t.” She stuttered. He and Fragile stood frozen, not expecting such a visceral reaction. Fragile swiftly hid the little critter. Sam, still confused, furrowed his brows.

“You can´t eat cryptobiotes.” Fragile stated, Stray nodding jerkily. At Sam´s confounded look she clarified.

“She has enthomophobia. Fear of insects.” Oh, he thought, well, at least it wasn´t worse than his own phobia. There weren´t that many insects outside nowadays, what with Timefall. Still, an inconvenience when you needed to replenish your blood, he guessed.

…

He didn´t know how he got here from the middle of the Tar belt where his memory ended. Not until he heard the laboured pants. He sat up, seeing Stray leaning against a rock, tar all over her. She looked haggard, pale and sick. Worry jerked Sam´s insides.

“How?”

“You… are frikkin heavy Sam Porter Bridges.” She gasped. Sam shook his head, he told her explicitly he wanted her to wait on the other side of the Tar belt.

“Had to get rid of the cargo, sorry.” She inclined her head towards the inky surface near them.

“Let´s get out of here.” Sam sighed. She grinned at him.

…

This is going to be it, isn´t it? He looked into the brightness of the sun. The looming figure of the huge BT staggering in its enormity. The tiny fleck of gold that held Amelie in its grasp. And he didn´t want it to end, not now. Not when he was finding so much after having nothing. He turned quickly, grabbing her by the shoulders, surprising both of them.

“Go inside!” He urged.

“What?! No!” She caught his forearms in a bruising grip and he didn´t flinch.

“Yes! I need you to go inside! I need you to listen to me this time! Please!” She shook her head, clenching her jaw, stubbornness and tears glinting in her eyes. He rubbed his thumbs over her clavicles, making her tremble. Sam took a quick glance behind himself.

“Please.” Sam saw the second her resolve broke. Lips pulling back in a mock snarl, trying to hold back sobs as droplets rolled down her cheeks, head hanging low. Her grip turned desperate, unwilling to let go, yet she croaked a quiet Ok. Sam did something he didn´t think he ever would again. The fingers of his right hand caressed through her hair, lifting her head to him. He leaned slightly down and without a hesitation, he brushed the barest of butterfly kisses over her forehead. The touch after so long felt electrifying. He heard her soft gasp, cradling her body close, tight to him. Just for a second. Then he let go and pushed her towards the Distro centre.

…

Sam felt gentle hand on his shoulder. The rain softly pattering down on him and Lou felt like a miracle. He let his eyes fall down, seeing Stray swaddling the tiny baby girl in a soft fabric. A shirt, his mind supplied. Tears mixing with raindrops on her face, tears of joy.

“Babies get cold easily.” She said, her hands careful, like she was handling the most precious thing in the world. She was. Lou was his most precious thing, daughter. Their daughter. He cradled them both close. Arms tightly holding, his forehead to hers, Lou´s happy chirps sounding between them.


End file.
